Polls show that Republican voters but aren’t universally opposed to restrictions on firearms. In fact, most Republicans support . Most back “red flag” provisions allowing the police to from people deemed dangerous by a judge. A majority support to purchase a gun.So with Democrats to take action on gun control in the wake of last weekend’s mass shootings in , and — in particular, to pass a bill adopted in February by the Democratic-controlled House that would essentially — will anything happen?It isn’t impossible. President Trump that he would push for “red flag” laws. But Trump has after...…Polls show that Republican voters but aren’t universally opposed to restrictions on firearms. In fact, most Republicans support . Most back “red flag” provisions allowing the police to from people deemed dangerous by a judge. A majority support to purchase a gun.So with Democrats to take action on gun control in the wake of last weekend’s mass shootings in , and — in particular, to pass a bill adopted in February by the Democratic-controlled House that would essentially — will anything happen?It isn’t impossible. President Trump that he would push for “red flag” laws. But Trump has after...WW…

Typically, after losing a presidential election, a political party will undertake an over why it didn’t win and how the party needs to change to take back the White House. Democrats did so after losing in , and . In fact, even after winning in 2020 — taking control of the White House and U.S. Senate and maintaining control in the U.S. House — Democrats are having an intra-party debate, trying to figure out . Republicans, too, have had such debates, after losses in , and . But not this time.Despite Republicans losing the White House and Senate in 2020, and thus being totally swept out...…Typically, after losing a presidential election, a political party will undertake an over why it didn’t win and how the party needs to change to take back the White House. Democrats did so after losing in , and . In fact, even after winning in 2020 — taking control of the White House and U.S. Senate and maintaining control in the U.S. House — Democrats are having an intra-party debate, trying to figure out . Republicans, too, have had such debates, after losses in , and . But not this time.Despite Republicans losing the White House and Senate in 2020, and thus being totally swept out...WW…

After a , the NFL is in the midst of a . of the NFL’s head coaches are black — even though . Not one of the five new head coaches hired after the 2019 NFL regular season is black. The NFL has the same number of black head coaches going into the 2020 season — three — that , when anger about the lack of diversity resulted in the league adopting the so-called Rooney Rule, which requires at least one person of color to be interviewed for all head coaching openings.So why isn’t the NFL hiring more black head coaches? We think it’s safe to assume that the league doesn’t have a secret policy to...…After a , the NFL is in the midst of a . of the NFL’s head coaches are black — even though . Not one of the five new head coaches hired after the 2019 NFL regular season is black. The NFL has the same number of black head coaches going into the 2020 season — three — that , when anger about the lack of diversity resulted in the league adopting the so-called Rooney Rule, which requires at least one person of color to be interviewed for all head coaching openings.So why isn’t the NFL hiring more black head coaches? We think it’s safe to assume that the league doesn’t have a secret policy to...WW…

From November 2020 to January 2021, the story of the state of Georgia was pro-Democratic: Democratic candidates for president and the U.S. Senate all won. But more importantly, it was pro-democratic. Joe Biden, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won in part because of in the state to . Two of the state’s top Republican elected officials, and , rejected a major push from then-President Trump and other Republicans to effectively overturn the results of the state’s presidential election because Biden had won. The events in Georgia, along with a similar rejection of Trump’s false fraud claims in...…From November 2020 to January 2021, the story of the state of Georgia was pro-Democratic: Democratic candidates for president and the U.S. Senate all won. But more importantly, it was pro-democratic. Joe Biden, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won in part because of in the state to . Two of the state’s top Republican elected officials, and , rejected a major push from then-President Trump and other Republicans to effectively overturn the results of the state’s presidential election because Biden had won. The events in Georgia, along with a similar rejection of Trump’s false fraud claims in...WW…

This is the second in a two-part series on the ideas related to race, status and equality influencing the current political divides in America, you can .“Woke” was originally a term in activist circles, particularly after the rise of Black Lives Matter, to signify a consciousness around racial issues in America. The term is still sometimes used in that context. But in culture and politics today, the most prominent uses of “woke” are as a pejorative — Republicans , more centrist Democrats and supporters of the British monarchy to criticize people more sympathetic to Prince Harry and...…This is the second in a two-part series on the ideas related to race, status and equality influencing the current political divides in America, you can .“Woke” was originally a term in activist circles, particularly after the rise of Black Lives Matter, to signify a consciousness around racial issues in America. The term is still sometimes used in that context. But in culture and politics today, the most prominent uses of “woke” are as a pejorative — Republicans , more centrist Democrats and supporters of the British monarchy to criticize people more sympathetic to Prince Harry and...WW…

Republicans in the U.S. House last week , even though that the legislation is popular with the public. The U.S. Senate will consider the bill soon — and it looks like the overwhelming majority of Republicans in that chamber And it’s not just the stimulus. House Republicans also last week to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. And the GOP seems poised to oppose upcoming Democratic bills to and . All of are too.“Duh,” you might say. Of course, the party out of power opposes the agenda of the party in power. Democrats during former President Donald...…Republicans in the U.S. House last week , even though that the legislation is popular with the public. The U.S. Senate will consider the bill soon — and it looks like the overwhelming majority of Republicans in that chamber And it’s not just the stimulus. House Republicans also last week to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. And the GOP seems poised to oppose upcoming Democratic bills to and . All of are too.“Duh,” you might say. Of course, the party out of power opposes the agenda of the party in power. Democrats during former President Donald...WW…

Senate Democrats need all 50 members of their caucus to band together to pass bills that don’t have any GOP support. So, in theory at least, any senator could constantly force the party to bend to their will.In reality, though, only Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is using that power. He’s already to run the White House Office of Management and Budget, and he forced congressional Democrats to make before he would provide his needed “yea” vote. Manchin is also opposing proposals embraced by the Biden administration and most congressional Democrats to to $15 per hour and to for nearly all...…Senate Democrats need all 50 members of their caucus to band together to pass bills that don’t have any GOP support. So, in theory at least, any senator could constantly force the party to bend to their will.In reality, though, only Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is using that power. He’s already to run the White House Office of Management and Budget, and he forced congressional Democrats to make before he would provide his needed “yea” vote. Manchin is also opposing proposals embraced by the Biden administration and most congressional Democrats to to $15 per hour and to for nearly all...WW…

In the fall of 2015, I was having drinks in Washington with a colleague at the time, now-MSNBC host Joy Reid. (I was working at NBC News.) Donald Trump was of the 2016 Republican presidential primary. But I was confident he would not win the nomination.Very confident.I told Joy, who is a friend, that Trump was experiencing a sugar high in the polls, not unlike . I predicted the Republican establishment would organize against Trump and embrace the obvious candidate for the party’s future, a kind of a Barack Obama for the right: Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.Joy was equally confident. Trump was...…In the fall of 2015, I was having drinks in Washington with a colleague at the time, now-MSNBC host Joy Reid. (I was working at NBC News.) Donald Trump was of the 2016 Republican presidential primary. But I was confident he would not win the nomination.Very confident.I told Joy, who is a friend, that Trump was experiencing a sugar high in the polls, not unlike . I predicted the Republican establishment would organize against Trump and embrace the obvious candidate for the party’s future, a kind of a Barack Obama for the right: Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.Joy was equally confident. Trump was...WW…

Facing a Republican Party with , Democrats are debating what to do — to bolster their party and, in the view of some in the party, American democracy itself. At the heart of the discussion is how much structural reform do the nation’s governmental and electoral systems need.This debate is largely happening in public, in op-eds and on Twitter. But it’s mostly in the background, lurking behind basically everything that is happening in the Democratic Party — like which issues to prioritize, whether to try to work with Republicans in Congress and, most of all, whether to ditch or reform the...…Facing a Republican Party with , Democrats are debating what to do — to bolster their party and, in the view of some in the party, American democracy itself. At the heart of the discussion is how much structural reform do the nation’s governmental and electoral systems need.This debate is largely happening in public, in op-eds and on Twitter. But it’s mostly in the background, lurking behind basically everything that is happening in the Democratic Party — like which issues to prioritize, whether to try to work with Republicans in Congress and, most of all, whether to ditch or reform the...WW…

The political media has long been both powerful and controversial — no surprise, as it essentially plays the role of referee in American politics. But how the media covers politics is perhaps more important than ever right now, as the United States is dealing with big, super high-stakes issues, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and America’s partisan “.” Like major corporations, the media is in the crosshairs of fights between the two parties where there may be no middle ground. So here are five of the major questions about how the media should be covering politics that are now being...…The political media has long been both powerful and controversial — no surprise, as it essentially plays the role of referee in American politics. But how the media covers politics is perhaps more important than ever right now, as the United States is dealing with big, super high-stakes issues, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic and America’s partisan “.” Like major corporations, the media is in the crosshairs of fights between the two parties where there may be no middle ground. So here are five of the major questions about how the media should be covering politics that are now being...WW…